Gettysburg Hospitals Part 9 With Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak is the host for our Gettysburg Hospitals series. He is standing near the "front" of the Sarah Patterson Barn. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak retired after spending 37 years working for the United States Postal Service. Phil first came to Gettysburg in 1999 and had Paul Cooksey as his guide. Phil became a self-described “Gettysburgaholic,” and decided to study to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide. He passed the December 2004 exam, and was licensed in November of 2005. He started as a part-time Guide, but became full time when he retired in January, 2007. To contact Phil Lechak, click here to reveal his email address. To see Phil Lechak's previous series on Camp Letterman, click here. To see the previous posts in the Gettysburg Hospitals series, click here. In today's Gettysburg Hospitals' post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak shows us the interior of the Sarah Patterson Barn, built in 1830.
This map shows the location of the videos we shot at for this post. Videos #1-15 were shown in our previous Gettysburg Hospitals posts. Video #16 was taken inside the Sarah Patterson Barn. Video #17 was taken outside near the southeast corner of the Sarah Patterson Barn. This map was created facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Saturday, October 15, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak is standing on the northeast side of the Sarah Patterson Barn. He is preparing to enter the door on the main (upper) floor of this bank barn. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
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In Video #16 (Videos #1-15 were shown in our prevous posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak shows us the interior of the Sarah Patterson Barn. This view was taken facing southwest to northwest to northeast to northwest to southwest to southeast to southwest to southeast to northwest to southwest to northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
As we enter the barn's main floor, here is what we see to our front left. This view was taken facing south at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The current owners of the Sarah Patterson Farm claim that these are the original wooden floors. The photo was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The southeast wall of the barn. There is a wooden shed attached to the outside of this wall, which is why there is not a lot of line coming in through the vent slats. The image was taken facing souheast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The door through which we entered this main floor of the barn. The photo was taken facing norheast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The barn is currently covered with a tin roof. The photo was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
When one enters the barn, there are wooden partitions on each side. The photo was taken facing northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Now we are on the other (northwest) side of the partition shown in the previous image. The photo was taken facing northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The northwest wall on the left, meets the northeast wall of the barn. The photo was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The southwest wall on the left, meets the northwest wall of the barn. The photo was taken facing west at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
We're now back at the southeast wall of the Sarah Patterson Barn. The image was taken facing facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
These wooden pieces are beams... The image was taken facing northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
... sticking through the vent holes to support the wooden shed attached to the southeast side of the barn. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Looking across the partitions from the southeast wall (behind the camera position) to the northwest wall. The image was taken facing northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The section closest to the camera is the shed connected to the southeast section of the barn. This image was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The large entrance on the right is to the wagon shed. The photo was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Inside the wagon shed. The photo was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Here are the wooden beams connecting the southeast wall of the barn (left) with the southeast wall of the wagon shed (right). The photo was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak outside the first floor of the barn. The view was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
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In Video #17 Licensed Battlefield Guide Phil Lechak reminds us of good books on the Gettysburg Hospital sites. This view was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
We will enter the bottom floor of the bank barn. The image was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
We'll pan from left to right. The photo was taken facing facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Still panning... The photo was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
... still panning... This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
...still panning.. The photo was taken facing east at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
...final pan. The photo was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
It certainly looks from here that this is the original wood for the main floor above us, and the original beams. Lots of hornet nests. The image was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Stepping back outside... The image was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Notice how the barn "overhangs" this section to allow items such as hay from the main floor to be dropped into wagons positioned underneath the overhang. The photo was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Some of the wood forming the overhang. The photo was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
Let's go back outside to the northwest section of the barn. We can easily see the overhang section on the right. The photo was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
A closer view of the lower section of the northwest wall. The view was taken facing facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
A closer view of the vent slats on the upper part of the northwest wall. The view was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, August 5, 2011.
The text for all of the Corps Hospital markers. For a pdf version, click here.
Dr. Jonathan Letterman's Official Report of the Battle of Gettysburg. For a pdf version, click here.
Greg Coco's book, A Vast Sea of Misery is available from Thomas Publications.
Roland Maust's book, Grappling With Death, the Union Second Corps Hospital at Gettysburg. For ordering information click here.
To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.